Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-09-03
. FEW POINTS FOX FIRE isnrRs.

what they say, outside of the local folds OF
which they are the shepherds. The non
church going people have a great deal of
respect for them a a class ard we feel sure
that large numbers of them could be gath
cred into some one Of the several folds II
the right course were taken by the preach
ers.
To begin with. in tine way of Specliica-
tions. We may say that outsiders are not
Interested in the efforts OF such preachers as
seem to be devoting their effort, solely. to
the building up of their own church and
their personal regulations and prospects
To build up local church is good thing
so far As it goes. but the minister of the
gospel who stops there comes far short Of
duty and privilege.
Then. outsiders care nothing whatever
about theories or sectarian dogmas. Really
the most attractive story in the world for
the masses of non-church-going people is
the story of the gospel. Preachers who
disguise the gospel with fine. ornamental
sermons ostensibly about other things, and
who smuggle in little bits of truth, in
their efforts to win outsiders, make a great
mistake. What the people of the world
need and like is a straight, simple. rr-
aiulterated gospel. On no other >upposi-
ton can the drawing qualities of
Spurgeon, Moody. Talmage and 9th
ers. be accounted for. The most
fascinating tale that the universe has ever
known. or will ever know, is the story of
the birth, the life, the death and the re>ur-
rection of Jesus Christ, and those preachers
who neglect il TO spin theories and CON
struct theological systems of their own. are
not preachers of the Gospel whatever else
they may prove to be. and they are vast
ing their time. And those preachers who
preach any particular kind of morality. or
speciality in morals. or theories of reform.
in place of the Gospel, make q very fatal
mistake.
The preacher of the Gospel should take
the world as his parish. The soul of any
one man, in any part of the world. should
be held as precious 10 him As the soul of
pose should be to win all men and every
man-everywhere- the truth. There is
a large host of men who believe in the
principles of Christianity, and adopt them
as their rule of life. who are not in churches
but ought to be in them. snd church poo
ple-paStors and members should do thei-
best to remove distractions from the path
of these persons and win them within
church lines They would be greatly
helped by church surroundings aud in
tiuences. and they would greatly help the
churches. Ii is not wise to be tCo
much troubled about the orthodoxy
of these people. II they believe Il Chris
tianiiy and wish TO enter upon life of
Christian experience and work. their ortho
doXy may be very safely left 10 take care of
itself. All men should be asked. not to he
come Me;hodi>t>. or Lutherans. or Presby-
terianS. or Baptists simply 10 put
themselves in an attitude of sffectiOnate
obedience toward God; and that they may
know something of the character of the
Supreme Being. they should be asked 70
look at Him as he was marf:s,..,i, @,,. ,,,.. o,.. @
a>,s,-.s g-----.--oseAs WV iva OuS
1--we. and Devotion, and Un.
Is, and Self-sacrihce 70, t,ae sVod
Seaers. and crowned all By dying for
'inen-fOr his enemies, The policy Of the
.-..Ds..sn preacher s6orzU % @SIy Sr'HpEsM ss
his story very short He should urge men
to look at this Christ and TO try to be like
Him. That is to say-with a loyal and
afectionate purpose to enter upon a life of
love. devotion, unselfishness aud self-sacri-
flee for the good of Others. Whatever any
one may think that he believes about Chris
tian doctrines is nc doubt that if the
teaching of Christ were universally accept.
ed and his example universally followed.
this world would be in itself a heaven
Preachers should get dow to first princ.-
pies in Christianity and stay there. And
their fellOw-Christans in their own folds
should do the same. We have great deal
o. what is called Christianity in the .sorld.
L.: us have something better aud more Ell
that is always genuine
and etfective-namely. Christlikeness,